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An Editorial - Joseph W. McQuaid, Publisher: Is NH House smoking pot?

Were members of the New Hampshire House who voted to legalize, sell and tax marijuana last week actually puffing the stuff at the time? The House has done some strange things, usually when led by Democrats as it is now, but this one takes the cake for irresponsible and dangerous behavior.

Our society, our schools, parents, police, work force, etc., don't have enough to do right now in combating the effects of drug use and abuse?

Idiots are endangering public safety by texting and driving, bumping off the elderly out to get their mail or injuring other drivers. And the House wants to hand them the keys and encourage a joint, too?

Legalizing marijuana encourages more drug use, some of which is contributing to criminal activity that is tying up police, causing rampant burglaries and robberies and that will inevitably get people injured or killed.

To add the absurd to the outrageous, the pro-pot legislators proudly point to its tax-raising potential. What's next, applying the Business Enterprise Tax to prostitution? The governor of Vermont has declared war on heroin. Would the New Hampshire House tax that, too?

No wonder Gov. Maggie Hassan quickly made clear that she would veto a pot bill. To be sure, a minority of Republicans went along, but it is clear that the pro-tax-and-spend element in Hassan's Democratic Party is as strong as ever.

The governor has her own spending agenda, but it is a politically safer gamble to have her administration known for pushing slots than for selling pot.